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Mary pulled away from Wilson's loving embrace after she had finally calmed down. It took almost all of her willpower, but she had finally stopped crying. She stood before him and wiped her eyes.
"Let me explain," he said before Mary even had the chance to ask him what he had been up to during the time they had been apart. "I didn't try to call you or anything because I figured you would be too angry at me- that's why I stayed away. I waited until Sunday to come find you, and then I found your note. I…I wanted to hop on a plane and go to you right then. I wanted you back so badly. But, I couldn't just leave. I had no one to watch Billy if I were to go away and I had work. So I thought for a couple of days about what I should do. I considered calling you here for a little while, but I didn't want to do that to you. Besides, I wanted to talk to you in person. I thought you were coming back, but then I talked to your grandfather and when he said you'd left permanently, I lost it. I asked around at work if there was anything I could do in California- they have a big office here. They said I could transfer if I really wanted to, and I did. It took a while for it to clear, but I'm here. I'd choose you over cold and snowy Buffalo any day."
She smiled slightly. "So…so you're moving here?"
Wilson grinned. "Yup. I'm living with my parents now, but as soon as I find my own place I'll definitely be here for good."
Tears of happiness rolled down her cheeks. She embraced him in an emotional and tender hug. "Thank you," she whispered into his ear as she placed her chin onto his right shoulder.
He rubbed her arms. "No, thank you- thank you for being so understanding."
"I never said I understood, but I am willing to try and forgive. You mean way too much for me to just throw you out of my life over a few sentences said in the heat of one weird conversation."
"So we're OK?"
"I have to admit, you really hurt me, but we will be OK. We'll just have to work at our relationship for a little bit." She squeezed him. "Just make sure you don't leave me. I don't ever want to be apart from you again. These last few weeks were-"
"Awful," he finished for her.
"Yeah, but it was nice to be home. This is where I need to be right now."
"Then I don't want you anywhere else."
Mary sighed heavily. "Speaking of being here… we should probably talk to my parents and explain to them before everyone starts to gossip." She smiled. "I love them, but they all have big mouths." Wilson didn't look too enthused over the idea. "Don't worry. I'll satisfy their curiosity and then we can be left alone. I'm not going to tell them everything, or what you said. But I have been here for almost two months; they have a right to know."
"I never knew you were so close to your parents," he said as they walked toward the house arm in arm.
She laughed. "If I start telling you not to do drugs, that sex is bad, and to go to church, I blame you."
Wilson laughed heartily at her joke and the two paused for a moment in front of the door. Mary stared deep into Wilson's eyes, and besides the fear that she was already well aware of, Mary saw his love for her. It made her feel better about forgiving him so quickly- like she wasn't being stupid and throwing herself at him just so that she wouldn't be alone. He loved her, and that made all the difference in the world.
The couple walked into the kitchen, startling Eric who had his back to the door. He turned around to see not only his daughter but her fiancée or boyfriend, or whatever he was now, standing next to her. Instantly he was confused. He and the rest of the family were certain that Mary and Wilson had a big falling out and that they were through. Now Wilson was back yet again; he was never going to get away from him.
"Wilson?" he asked, trying to keep his anger he held toward the young man over hurting his first daughter out of his voice.
"Hello Reverend."
"What are you doing here?"
Mary intercepted the question. "Could we talk to you and Mom for a second?"
Eric was apprehensive, but figured this would be interesting nonetheless. "Sure. You're mother's…upstairs with the boys. You can go into the living room. I'll bring her down."
Five minutes later, the group had become and foursome and relocated in the living room. Mary grabbed Wilson's hand and held it tightly before she spoke. He was so nervous that Mary was afraid he was going to run right out of the house and onto the next plane back to Buffalo. That was the last thing anyone needed.
"So, I am sure you both have been wondering what happened between Wilson and I." Her parent's nodded. "The truth is…we had a fight." She thought about interjecting that it was over nothing or that it wasn't important, but decided against it. That would have been a lie. "I stormed out of his apartment and went back to the Colonel's. He gave me my space and I took that time to think. I realized that I really wanted to be home. I was angry with him and I wanted to see you guys so I left to come to GlenOak."
Wilson took his part in the explanation. "I was really depressed without Mary." Annie smiled amiably at Wilson. She was not as critical as Eric was. I knew she had moved here, but I couldn't just pick up and leave. I was able to get a transfer at work and now I am going to live here so that I can be close to her."
Mary smiled; she did like the sound of that. "He just needs to find a place to live."
Annie practically jumped out of her chair with excitement. Mary and the men looked at her, stunned by her enthusiasm. "The garage apartment!"
Mary's face lit up at her mother's fabulous suggestion. After not having Wilson around for so long, she loved the idea of having him so close to her. It was just what she felt she needed. "Can he?" she asked looking at her parents, and then spun around to face Wilson. "Would you?"
He furrowed his brow in confusion. "What is a 'garage apartment?'"
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"This is unbelievable," Wilson said as he and Mary entered the unfinished room over the garage. "I never would have thought to put an apartment in here."
"Well, you know my mom."
"She did this all by herself?" he asked, spinning around to get the three hundred and sixty degree view of the place. He liked what he saw. The place had potential, and besides that, everyone knew that the one thing important with real estate was "location, location, location." This apartment was in the absolute perfect spot.
"Pretty much, yeah." Mary bent over to dust off the wood plank flooring and then sat down. "Sit," she commanded, patting the space next to her.
Wilson did as he is told, and again there was awkward silence. He moved his hands from every which position- on his knees, behind his back, clasped in front of him.
Mary noticed his motions, and smiled. He and Billy often acted a lot alike. "So, would you really live in here? To be honest, I don't think I would have the guts to." Wilson didn't fully comprehend. "My mom once rewired the whole house on a clapper system. For two weeks we had things sporadically turning on and off. It really wasn't a lot of fun dropping the shampoo bottle and having the lights go off in the middle of your shower. Living in here would prove that you have…spunk."
"Are you saying that you don't think I have spunk?"
She smiled. "You going to answer my question or not?"
He thought for a second and then turned his head to face hers. "Would you be OK with me living here?" She nodded. "Then yeah. This wasn't exactly what I had in mind, but it's perfect. Especially since it is about twenty, thirty feet tops, from your bedroom." She smiled sadly and leaned her head onto his shoulder. Wilson placed his hand on her cheek for a second before moving it to take her hand. "Are you mad at me?" She went to speak but he stopped her. "Be honest."
He could tell that she was reconsidering her answer. After a few minutes he shook her head. "Just hurt and confused. You…all of this…I-"
He rubbed the top of her head. "I should go. It will give you a chance to think; I don't want to overwhelm you Mare." He lightly kissed her forehead and stood. He went over to the exit of the room, but turned back for one final statement. "I hope things won't be weird between us."
She smiled at him as she held back tears, "Me, too."
***
Mary sat down on her cushy bed and leaned back, staring up at the ceiling in deep thought. Lucy came over and sat near Mary's head. She could never get a moments rest in GlenOak.
"So?"
"So what?"
"We all heard Wilson's back. How are you doing? You don't seem to happy."
Mary sat up and looked down at the floor. Confession time. "He makes my heart ache Luce." Lucy was shocked. "I love him, but I don't know if he loves me. I think he does; I thought he did. But if he said that…" She didn't finish her sentence. "If I knew it was going to be like this I would have never accepted his proposal."
Now Lucy was curious. "What's going on? What happened between you two?"
Without reluctance, Mary began to bear her soul to her one and only confidante in this world. "Back in Buffalo, a couple of days before I left, we had a fight. He accused me of not loving him, of having too many doubts and not really wanting to Mary him. I was angry and really upset. I still don't know if that was because I feel so strongly that I do love him and that I do want to marry him, or if it was because he had called me out on what I was subconsciously doing. And he just showed up here now and I know he wants to just forget that he ever said that. He didn't say that but I know that he is thinking it. But I don't think I can do it. And I don't want to be angry with him because I want him around. I was upset to see him come and upset to see him leave. And now he is going to end up moving into the garage apartment. I don't know what to make of that."
Lucy grabbed Mary's hand. "I don't know what to say to you except that I'm here for you if you need any help or you just want to talk." Mary nodded. "He really said all of that to you?" Mary nodded again. "I could get Matt to beat him up for you."
Mary smiled. "That's tempting, but it wouldn't solve anything. I guess I'll just have to spend some more time with him and see if I can really 'forgive and forget' so that we can get through this." Lucy wrapped her arm around Mary's shoulders and pulled her close. "I want it to work out. I love him." Mary started to sob again. Lucy was amazed at the power Wilson had over Mary. She didn't remember the last time something had brought Mary to tears like this. When did everyone grow up and everything become so serious?
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A/N: Well, this chapter started out all "I love Mary and Wilson" and it didn't end that way. It's kind of sad and I guess you could go as far to as to say a little dark, emotionally, but I like it that way. I wasn't exactly sure how I was going to end this before, but now I am even more confused.
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Reviews will make Mary's heart stop aching.
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